Despite dedicated research has been carried out to adequately map the distribution of the sperm whale in the Mediterranean Sea, unlike other regions of the world, the species population status is still presently uncertain. The analysis of two years of continuous acoustic data provided by the ANTARES neutrino telescope revealed the year-round presence of sperm whales in the Ligurian Sea, probably associated with the availability of cephalopods in the region. The presence of the Ligurian Sea sperm whales was demonstrated through the real-time analysis of audio data streamed from a cabled-to-shore deep-sea observatory that allowed the hourly tracking of their long-range echolocation behaviour on the Internet. Interestingly, the same acoustic analysis indicated that the occurrence of surface shipping noise would apparently not condition the foraging behaviour of the sperm whale in the area, since shipping noise was almost always present when sperm whales were acoustically detected. The continuous presence of the sperm whale in the region confirms the ecological value of the Ligurian sea and the importance of ANTARES to help monitoring its ecosystems.

Recent findings on cephalopods in laboratory conditions showed that exposure to artificial noise had a direct consequence on the statocyst, sensory organs, which are responsible for their equilibrium and movements in the water column. The question remained about the contribution of the consequent near-field particle motion influence from the tank walls, to the triggering of the trauma. Offshore noise controlled exposure experiments (CEE) on common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), were conducted at three different depths and distances from the source and particle motion and sound pressure measurements were performed at each location. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed injuries in statocysts, which severity was quantified and found to be proportional to the distance to the transducer. These findings are the first evidence of cephalopods sensitivity to anthropogenic noise sources in their natural habitat. From the measured received power spectrum of the sweep, it was possible to determine that the animals were exposed at levels ranging from 139 to 142¿dB re 1¿µPa2 and from 139 to 141 dB re 1¿µPa2, at 1/3 octave bands centred at 315¿Hz and 400¿Hz, respectively. These results could therefore be considered a coherent threshold estimation of noise levels that can trigger acoustic trauma in cephalopods.

Jellyfishes represent a group of species that play an important role in oceans, particularly as a food source for different taxa and as a predator of fish larvae and planktonic prey. The massive introduction of artificial sound sources in the oceans has become a concern to science and society. While we are only beginning to understand that non-hearing specialists like cephalopods can be affected by anthropogenic noises and regulation is underway to measure European water noise levels, we still don’t know yet if the impact of sound may be extended to other lower level taxa of the food web. Here we exposed two species of Mediterranean Scyphozoan medusa, Cotylorhiza tuberculata and Rhizostoma pulmo to a sweep of low frequency sounds. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed injuries in the statocyst sensory epithelium of both species after exposure to sound, that are consistent with the manifestation of a massive acoustic trauma observed in other species. The presence of acoustic trauma in marine species that are not hearing specialists, like medusa, shows the magnitude of the problem of noise pollution and the complexity of the task to determine threshold values that would help building up regulation to prevent permanent damage of the ecosystems.

This paper presents some of the bioacoustics related analysis that was performed on the ANTARES data, focussing on the year 2014. The data was processed for sperm whale, dolphin and shipping presence and grouped by hour of the day. It seemed that dolphins were more socially active during the day and foraging during the night. Sperm whales were mostly foraging during the day, but they may have been moving to other areas during the night. The most intense shipping noise came from a ferry that passed the platform twice a day. Although beaked whales were expected to be present in the area, so far their biosonar signal has not been conclusively found.

The growing scientific and societal concerns about the effects of underwater sound on marine ecosystems have been recently recognised through the introduction of several international initiatives, like the International Quiet Ocean Experiment, aimed at measuring the environmental impact of ocean noise on large spatial and temporal scales. From a regulatory perspective, the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive includes noise (and other forms of energy) as one of eleven descriptors of good environmental status of Europe's seas. The directive requires member states to monitor trends in annually averaged sound. The Laboratory of Applied Bioacoustics has developed a software package that measures sound levels and monitors acoustic sources in real-time; this software was used for the LIDO project (www.listentothedeep.com), which originated from the European Seafloor Observatory Network of Excellence (ESONET-NoE; www.esonet-noe.org). The system is currently operating worldwide from several wired and radio-linked observatories. The CTBTO (Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization) has made available years of data from hydroacoustic stations to look for ambient sound trends and to detect cetacean presence. Here, we present the analysis of four CTBTO platforms (located in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans), covering 42 months of data, intended to detect annual and monthly changes or trends in the ambient sound levels.

The growing scientific and societal concerns about the effects of underwater sound on marine ecosystems have been recently recognised through the introduction of several international initiatives, like the International Quiet Ocean Experiment, aimed at measuring the environmental impact of ocean noise on large spatial and temporal scales. From a regulatory perspective, the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive includes noise (and other forms of energy) as one of eleven descriptors of good environmental status of Europe's seas. The directive requires member states to monitor trends in annually averaged sound. The Laboratory of Applied Bioacoustics has developed a software package that measures sound levels and monitors acoustic sources in real-time; this software was used for the LIDO project (www.listentothedeep.com#, which originated from the European Seafloor Observatory Network of Excellence #ESONET-NoE; www.esonet-noe.org#. The system is currently operating worldwide from several wired and radio-linked observatories. The CTBTO #Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization# has made available years of data from hydroacoustic stations to look for ambient sound trends and to detect cetacean presence. Here, we present the analysis of four CTBTO platforms #located in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans), covering 42 months of data, intended to detect annual and monthly changes or trends in the ambient sound levels.

Many anthropogenic noise sources are nowadays contributing to the general noise budget of the oceans. The extent to which sound in the sea impacts and affects marine life is a topic of considerable current interest both to the scientific community and to the general public. Cepaholopods potentially represent a group of species whose ecology may be influenced by artificial noise that would have a direct consequence on the functionality and sensitivity of their sensory organs, the statocysts. These are responsible for their equilibrium and movements in the water column. Controlled Exposure Experiments, including the use of a 50–400 Hz sweep (RL=157±5 dB re 1 μPa with peak levels up to SPL=175 dB re 1 μPa) revealed lesions in the statocysts of four cephalopod species of the Mediterranean Sea, when exposed to low frequency sounds: (n=76) of Sepia officinalis, (n=4) Octopus vulgaris, (n=5) Loligo vulgaris and (n=2) Illex condietii. The analysis was performed through scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopical techniques of the whole inner structure of the cephalopods' statocyst, especially on the macula and crista. All exposed individuals presented the same lesions and the same incremental effects over time, consistent with a massive acoustic trauma observed in other species that have been exposed to much higher intensities of sound: Immediately after exposure, the damage was observed in the macula statica princeps (msp) and in the crista sensory epithelium. Kinocilia on hair cells were either missing or were bent or flaccid. A number of hair cells showed protruding apical poles and ruptured lateral plasma membranes, most probably resulting from the extrusion of cytoplasmic material. Hair cells were also partially ejected from the sensory epithelium, and spherical holes corresponding to missing hair cells were visible in the epithelium. The cytoplasmic content of the damaged hair cells showed obvious changes, including the presence of numerous vacuoles and electron-dense inclusions not seen in the control animals. The lesions described here are new to cephalopod pathology. Given that low-frequency noise levels in the ocean are increasing (e.g. shipping, offshore industry, and naval manoeuvres), that the role of cephalopods in marine ecosystems is only now beginning to be understood, and that reliable bioacoustic data on invertebrates are scarce, the present study and future investigations will bring an important contribution to the sustainable use of the marine environment.

'The Fixed point Open Ocean Observatory network (FixO3) seeks to integrate European open ocean fixed point observatories and to improve access to these key installations for the broader community. These will provide multidisciplinary observations in all parts of the oceans from the air-sea interface to the deep seafloor. Coordinated by the National Oceanography Centre, UK, FixO3 will build on the significant advances achieved through the FP7 programmes EuroSITES, ESONET and CARBOOCEAN. With a budget of 7.00 Million Euros over 4 years (starting September 2013) the proposal has 29 partners drawn from academia, research institutions and SME’s. In addition 14 international experts from a wide range of disciplines comprise an Advisory Board.
The programme will be achieved through:
1. Coordination activities to integrate and harmonise the current procedures and processes. Strong links will be fostered with the wider community across academia, industry, policy and the general public through outreach, knowledge exchange and training.
2. Support actions to offer a) access to observatory infrastructures to those who do not have such access, and b) free and open data services and products.
3. Joint research activities to innovate and enhance the current capability for multidisciplinary in situ ocean observation.
Open ocean observation is currently a high priority for European marine and maritime activities. FixO3 will provide important data on environmental products and services to address the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and in support of the EU Integrated Maritime Policy. The FixO3 network will provide free and open access to in situ fixed point data of the highest quality. It will provide a strong integrated framework of open ocean facilities in the Atlantic from the Arctic to the Antarctic and throughout the Mediterranean, enabling an integrated, regional and multidisciplinary approach to understand natural and anthropogenic change in the ocean.'

The EU, through the FP7 framework, has been funding various projects (e.g. SILENV, AQUO and SONIC) to obtain more detailed information on acoustic source levels from ships as well as to find ways to reduce their impact on the marine environment. Knowledge about source levels is important to understand a possible increase of background noise in the world oceans, but by itself it is not sufficient for noise management around a marine protected area. Depending on environmental conditions, propagation losses will be affected by bathymetry, sediment nature and seasons, resulting in changing effects from a same ship. To manage and decide on acceptable shipping sound levels in a MPA, acoustic modeling allows estimating cumulative sound exposure levels experienced by the animals at any given time, thus determining the number of vessels and their distance to the area favourable to maintain a good environmental status. Over the last three years, acoustic measurements recorded at the OBSEA shallow water cabled platform (Barcelona, Spain) have been stored together with AIS information. This data was used to demonstrate and validate the footprints of different ships in the area. Additionally, footprints of ships navigating through the Barentsz Sea are presented using one year of AIS data and source level estimations from literature

This study aims to estimate a model for the underwater acoustic environment in a Mediterranean area and to compare the model with existing other models of the sound attenuation in the zone of interest. The contribution of this paper is to develop a protocol to validate and adjust the offshore underwater attenuation models to a model of a Mediterranean area.

This study aims to estimate a model for the
underwater acoustic environment in a Mediterranean area and to
compare the model with existing other models of the sound
attenuation in the zone of interest. The contribution of this paper
is to develop a protocol to validate and adjust the offshore
underwater attenuation models to a model of a Mediterranean
area.

Sources of sound produced by human activities induce physical, physiological, and behavioral effects on marine fauna (mammals, reptiles, fish, and invertebrates), effects that can be diverse depending on the proximity to the signal source. These impacts include a reduction in the abundance of fish species of up to 50% in zones under exploration, changes in cetacean behavior and migration routes, and a distinct range of physical injuries in both marine vertebrates and invertebrates. There may be further long-term consequences due to chronic exposure, and sound can indirectly affect animals due to changes in the accessibility of prey, which may also suffer the adverse effects of acoustic pollution (Richardson et al. 1995). These damages could significantly impair the conservation of already endangered species that use acoustically contaminated areas for migratory routes, reproduction, and feeding.

'Recent directives outline the need to mitigate underwater noise footprint due to shipping, to prevent negative consequences to marine life. In that context, the final goal of AQUO project is to provide to policy makers practical guidelines, acceptable by shipyards and ship owners. The list of solutions will be split into solutions regarding ship design (including propeller and cavitation noise), and solutions related to shipping control and regulation. Exploitation of the AQUO project results is expected to have significant impacts, meeting the requirements of the MSFD.
The project is supported by relevant methods and tools, which will be used to assess the effectiveness of noise mitigation measures in order to select the most appropriate:
- A noise footprint assessment tool will be derived from Quonops an existing operational underwater noise prediction system, connectable with AIS shipping data. The tool will be adapted to the problem considered and validated by comparison with in-situ measurements at sea.
- Dedicated bio-acoustic studies will be conducted on different marine species representative to European maritime areas, with the goal to derive criteria regarding shipping underwater noise acceptable limits.
- Computer methods will be developed and scale model experiments will be done to predict radiated noise from ship propellers, including cavitation effects and interaction with ship hull. These predictive techniques will be validated by comparison to measurements.
- To support the analysis, several vessels, including commercial ships, will be tested at sea. Indeed, the project will benefit from the strong expertise of the consortium in the field of ship noise and vibrations, relying on long term experience on many ships, and a dedicated database. A proposal for ship Underwater Radiated Noise measurement European standard will also be produced.
The consortium is a well-balanced team composed of ship industry, specialized companies, a classification society, research centers and academics. Different European countries are represented. The team includes a large panel of specialists covering the different technical topics to address, allowing a multi-disciplinary approach.'

'Recent directives outline the need to mitigate underwater noise footprint due to shipping, to prevent negative consequences to marine life. In that context, the final goal of AQUO project is to provide to policy makers practical guidelines, acceptable by shipyards and ship owners. The list of solutions will be split into solutions regarding ship design (including propeller and cavitation noise), and solutions related to shipping control and regulation. Exploitation of the AQUO project results is expected to have significant impacts, meeting the requirements of the MSFD.
The project is supported by relevant methods and tools, which will be used to assess the effectiveness of noise mitigation measures in order to select the most appropriate:
- A noise footprint assessment tool will be derived from Quonops an existing operational underwater noise prediction system, connectable with AIS shipping data. The tool will be adapted to the problem considered and validated by comparison with in-situ measurements at sea.
- Dedicated bio-acoustic studies will be conducted on different marine species representative to European maritime areas, with the goal to derive criteria regarding shipping underwater noise acceptable limits.
- Computer methods will be developed and scale model experiments will be done to predict radiated noise from ship propellers, including cavitation effects and interaction with ship hull. These predictive techniques will be validated by comparison to measurements.
- To support the analysis, several vessels, including commercial ships, will be tested at sea. Indeed, the project will benefit from the strong expertise of the consortium in the field of ship noise and vibrations, relying on long term experience on many ships, and a dedicated database. A proposal for ship Underwater Radiated Noise measurement European standard will also be produced.
The consortium is a well-balanced team composed of ship industry, specialized companies, a classification society, research centers and academics. Different European countries are represented. The team includes a large panel of specialists covering the different technical topics to address, allowing a multi-disciplinary approach.'

'The overall scientific objectives of PERSEUS are to identify the interacting patterns of natural and human-derived pressures on the Mediterranean and Black Seas, assess their impact on marine ecosystems and, using the objectives and principles of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive as a vehicle, to design an effective and innovative research governance framework based on sound scientific knowledge. Well-coordinated scientific research and socio-economic analysis will be applied at a wide-ranging scale, from basin to coastal. The new knowledge will advance our understanding on the selection and application of the appropriate descriptors and indicators of the MSFD. New tools will be developed in order to evaluate the current environmental status, by way of combining monitoring and modelling capabilities and existing observational systems will be upgraded and extended. Moreover, PERSEUS will develop a concept of an innovative, small research vessel, aiming to serve as a scientific survey tool, in very shallow areas, where the currently available research vessels are inadequate.
In view of reaching Good Environmental Status (GES), a scenario-based framework of adaptive policies and management schemes will be developed. Scenarios of a suitable time frame and spatial scope will be used to explore interactions between projected anthropogenic and natural pressures. A feasible and realistic adaptation policy framework will be defined and ranked in relation to vulnerable marine sectors/groups/regions in order to design management schemes for marine governance. Finally, the project will promote the principles and objectives outlined in the MSFD across the SES.
Leading research Institutes and SMEs from EU Member States, Associated States, Associated Candidate countries, non-EU Mediterranean and Black Sea countries, will join forces in a coordinated manner, in order to address common environmental pressures, and ultimately, take action in the challenge of achieving GES.'

Sources of sound produced by human activities induce physical, physiological, and behavioral effects on marine fauna (mammals, reptiles, fish, and invertebrates), effects that can be diverse depending on the proximity to the signal source. These impacts include a reduction in the abundance of fish species of up to 50% in zones under exploration, changes in cetacean behavior and migration routes, and a distinct range of physical injuries in both marine vertebrates and invertebrates. There may be further long-term consequences due to chronic exposure, and sound can indirectly affect animals due to changes in the accessibility of prey, which may also suffer the adverse effects of acoustic pollution (Richardson et al. 1995). These damages could significantly impair the conservation of already endangered species that use acoustically contaminated areas for migratory routes, reproduction, and feeding.

'The Arctic is engaged in a deep climatic evolution. This evolution is quite predictable at short (year) and longer scales (several decades), but it is the decadal intermediate scale that is the most difficult to predict. This is because the natural variability of the system is large and dominant at this scale, and the system is highly non linear due to positive and negative feedback between sea ice, the ocean and atmosphere.
Already today, due to the increase of the GHG concentration in the atmosphere and the amplification of global warming in the Arctic, the impacts of climate change in the region are apparent, e.g. in the reduction in sea ice, in changes in weather patterns and cyclones or in the melting of glaciers and permafrost. It is therefore not surprising that models clearly predict that Artic sea ice will disappear in summer within 20 or 30 years, yielding new opportunities and risks for human activities in the Arctic.
This climatic evolution is going to have strong impacts on both marine ecosystems and human activities in the Arctic. This in turn has large socio-economic implications for Europe. ACCESS will evaluate climatic impacts in the Arctic on marine transportation (including tourism), fisheries, marine mammals and the extraction of hydrocarbons for the next 20 years; with particular attention to environmental sensitivities and sustainability. These meso-economic issues will be extended to the macro-economic scale in order to highlight trans-sectoral implications and provide an integrated assessment of the socio-economic impact of climate change. An important aspect of ACCESS, given the geostrategic implication of Arctic state changes, will be the consideration of Arctic governance issues, including the framework UNCLOS (United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea). ACCESS dedicates a full work package to integrate Arctic climate changes, socioeconomic impacts and Arctic governance issues.'

The development and broad use of passive acoustic monitoring techniques have the potential to help assessing the large-scale influence of artificial noise on marine organisms and ecosystems. Deep-sea
observatories have the potential to play a key role in understanding these recent acoustic changes. LIDO(Listening to the Deep Ocean Environment) is an international project that is allowing the real-time longterm monitoring of marine ambient noise as well as marine mammal sounds at cabled and standalone observatories. Here, we present the overall development of the project and the use of passive acoustic
monitoring (PAM) techniques to provide the scientific community with real-time data at large spatial and temporal scales. Special attention is given to the extraction and identification of high frequency cetacean
echolocation signals given the relevance of detecting target species, e.g. beaked whales, in mitigation processes, e.g. during military exercises.

In the frame of the European Sea-floor Observatory Network (ESONET) and in preparation of the Demonstration
Mission Listening to the Deep-Ocean Environment (LIDO) algorithms for the automated real-time
detection, classification and localisation of cetaceans have been developed.
Such Passive Acoustic Monitoring techniques have the potential to play a key role in cetaceans’ conservation
for they allow a non-invasive study of their behaviour, a better knowledge of their population
dynamics, and a better understanding of their dynamic relationship with their environment. This paper
investigates the development of efficient and accurate techniques to be used as the basis of a localisation
module for an automated real-time Passive Acoustic Monitoring system.
An opportunity to assess the capabilities of the developed localisation modules was given by recordings
collected with a bottom-mounted (around 2080 m depth) tetrahedral compact hydrophone array
located offshore the port of Catania (Sicily) during the NEMO-ONDE campaign in the years 2005–2006
by INFN and CIBRA [2]. A well-known class of methods for acoustic source localisation is based on time
differences of arrival (TDOA). Its capabilities have shown to be useful even in adverse situations (i.e.,
few sensors, high noise levels and/or poor calibration). A second class of methods, the space–time
methods, originated in underwater applications such as sonar but reached its most significant achievements
over the last 20 years in digital communications with recent progress in the treatment of broadband
signals. These developments are here revisited under the scope of the localisation and tracking of
cetacean vocalisations.
Various broadband space–time methods were implemented and allowed to map the sound radiated
during the detected clicks and to consequently localise both sperm whales and vessels. Hybrid methods
were also developed which improved the robustness of space–time methods to noise and reverberation
and reduced processing time. In most cases, the small variance obtained for these estimates lessened
the necessity of additional statistical clustering. Even though not independently confirmed by sightings,
the tracks derived in the proposed frame can be considered to be consistent with the known movements
of sperm whales and vessels.

With the aim of classifying sperm whales, this report compares two methods that
can use Gaussian functions, a radial basis function network, and support vector machines
which were trained with two different approaches known as C-SVM and º-SVM. The methods
were tested on data recordings from seven different male sperm whales, six containing
single click trains and the seventh containing a complete dive. Both types of classifiers could
distinguish between the clicks of the seven different whales, but the SVM seemed to have
better generalisation towards unknown data, at the cost of needing more information and
slower performance.

The origin of this work can be found in the project ‘Effects and Control of Anthropogenic Noise in Marine Ecosystems’ in the part relative to legal initiatives. In the first phase of the Report on this Project (December 2008) it was concluded that the level of complexity of marine issues, united by the fact that wide scientific gaps and difficulties still need to be covered and resolved, counseled against the immediate
drawing up of legal projects concerning underwater acoustic pollution. Nevertheless, it was suggested that a document of ‘Best Practices’ be elaborated to focus on the ‘state of the art’ of this issue, and that it be used by public administrations and promoters of projects that will cause acoustic pollution, as much within the framework of environmental impact assessments as in management development plans in protected marine areas. It is of vital importance that activities, which generate acoustic pollution in the oceans, be monitored. Accordingly, this document could derive, in the short term, a Protocol of Applications which will in its own time open the way for the preparation of, if necessary, legislative initiatives within their own right.

The origin of this work can be found in the project ‘Effects and Control of Anthropogenic Noise in Marine Ecosystems’ in the part relative to legal initiatives. In the first phase of the Report on this Project (December 2008) it was concluded that the level of complexity of marine issues, united by the fact that wide scientific gaps and difficulties still need to be covered and resolved, counseled against the immediate drawing up of legal projects concerning underwater acoustic pollution. Nevertheless, it was suggested that a document of ‘Best Practices’ be elaborated to focus on the ‘state of the art’ of this issue, and that it be used by public administrations and promoters of projects that will cause acoustic pollution, as much within the framework of environmental impact assessments as in management development plans in protected marine areas. It is of vital importance that activities, which generate acoustic
pollution in the oceans, be monitored. Accordingly, this document could derive, in the short term, a Protocol of Applications which will in its own time open the way for the preparation of, if necessary, legislative initiatives within their own right.

While noise is now considered a marine hazard that
can directly affect cetaceans and induce a stranding, no
clinical approach has yet introduced the detection of a possible
hearing loss at a stranding site as a necessary practice. Here
we present the second generation of an autonomous and
portable auditory screening system for cetacean clinical and
research purposes. This system is composed by two
independent and autonomous modules that build a more
versatile, lighter and interference isolated system. The
improvement relies on the isolation between modules and their
independency on many situations. The system is separated in
two modules. The first one contains the low voltage
biopotential amplification system and the acustic signal
transmiter . The second module will activate only when needed
for some frequencies and levels driving high voltage to the
transducers thus avoiding interferences with the first module
containing the low voltage amplifications system. The tool has
been successfully tested for research purposes in captive
dolphins and calibrated for a stranding site diagnoses
operation.

The operation and in particular the construction of
offshore wind converters induce considerable underwater noise
emissions. It is assumed that small whales and seals can be
affected by noise from machines and vessels, piling and
installation of the wind turbines. Piling, in particular using
hydraulic hammers creates impulsive noise with considerable
high energy levels. Currently, only little knowledge about the
effects of different noises to marine life is available. Here, we
present an ongoing project from the Laboratory of Applied
Bioacoustics (Technical University of Catalonia): to simulate the
generation, radiation and propagation of underwater noise; to
develop forecasting hydro sound models of offshore wind
converters and future noise reduction methods during pile
driving; to determine the impact area of offshore wind farms; to
allow the formulation of recommendations for acoustic emission
thresholds; and to develop standard procedures for the
determination and assessment of noise emissions.

With the aim of classifying sperm whales, this report compares two methods that can use Gaussian functions, a radial basis function network, and support vector machines which were trained with two different approaches known as C-SVM and º-SVM. The methods
were tested on data recordings from seven different male sperm whales, six containing single click trains and the seventh containing a complete dive. Both types of classifiers could distinguish between the clicks of the seven different whales, but the SVM seemed to have
better generalisation towards unknown data, at the cost of needing more information and slower performance.